Monday, March 8, 2010

First, purchase 1,000 acres of preserved coastal land near Hilton Head South Carolina.

Then commission the very talented architects at Historical Concepts to build you a Boat House overlooking the Lake.

Design it to resemble a barn so your guests can sit out on the deep porch that literally hangs over the lake & watch the world go by.

Make sure the Boathouse has all the comforts of home.

.....an open fire, a comfy sofa & simple furnishings

.......a long table to enjoy a meal around with views across the water

.......and a simple kitchen to prepare the catch of the day.

Then add a couple of authentic-looking private Bunkhouses to house your guests in overnight.

With a veranda to sit & watch the sun go down over the lake.

And soft, warm beds to sleep soundly in.

Get the Builders back in to construct another out-building to house more guests & call it The Sugar Cane Mill. This building continues your concept of structures that would have been found on an old farm or plantation.

Then find an uninhabitable building built in 1914 called The Langford House. Practically falling down, decide to restore it & use it as your main building/residence & undaunted, get the boys from Monster Moves to move the building onto your 1,000 acres.

Call in the magicians from Historical Concepts again. Get them to retain the original form of the house, but add wrap-around porches & enclose some of them to create additional rooms.

Continue reconfiguring the structure without compromising its original charm. Keep the front portion of the porch open to maintain the welcoming character of an old farmhouse, enclose the rear portions entirely with windows to significantly expand the main living space.

Employ master craftsmen to provide all the custom woodwork.

Know that by creating an additional 2,345sq.ft. mostly within the original footprint of the house, you now have a substantial home that has once more become a gracious homestead, whilst meeting all your entertaining needs.

Get the Landscaper to plant 2 lines of palms indigenous to the low country. These form an 'allee' that flanks either side of the garden & gives you that dramatic effect you envisaged.

Opposite to the kitchen in the enclosed porch is the new Master En-Suite. Get your craftmen to custom design free-standing vanities & mirrors as the all the exterior walls are window-clad which presents somewhat of a challenge.

The new kitchen occupies a corner of the enclosed porch. Design all the custom cabinetry & place dish racks above the sink area to give the space an authentic look. Paint the wooden floors red.

Stand back & look at how you have given a derelict, rotting old building new life as a classic, low-country raised cottage homestead. Know that you have created an outstanding synergistic collection of buildings for your family & friends to enjoy for years to come.

Wow Millie - this is such a gorgeous place. And I love the black and white photos - suits the house perfectly. How fabulous that wonderfully creative people like this take the time to restore fabulous old buildings! Leigh

this type on home is my favorite style, the deep porch that surrounds the entire home. now.... if it were 2 stories with the barn on the bottom it would be MY DREAM HOME.the deep porch would serve as the overhang for the barn and shade for the horses.

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ABOUT ME

Life in the little village of Stirling in the hills above Adelaide in South Australia is just about as good as it gets! Enjoying a cool climate and 'hill-station' feel, Stirling is well-known for its 19th-century stone villas set on large grounds dense with roses, camellias, rhododendrons and huge old Oaks.

With 3 sons, 2 grandchildren & my work in a scientific business dominated by yes, more men, The Laurel Hedge was born out of my sheer desperation for something the boys just don't get & never will!

Quote This!

'No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it all too seriously.'

Son #5's Work

Email Millie for his contact details.

It's Finished!

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Mission Unbrown!

15 years of renovating was over - we'd just completed everything & were really enjoying our lovely old Victorian villa in the Eastern suburbs of Adelaide. However we'd always had a fondness for the country life & without warning we found ourselves transported by alien beings disguised as Real Estate Agents to a house on 1/2 acre of wild, rambling gardens in Stirling!

The house is circa 1972 & with all the 70's features. Open-faced brown brick walls, raked ceilings, exposed beams, split levels - totally yuk! However, it's inherent design is great & the location amazing - tucked behind a wonderful old laurel hedge in a quiet country lane in the heart of gorgeous Stirling.